Switch instrument.



O. W. COLEMAN. SWITCH INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED 0OT.9,,1909.

1,010,864. Patented Deb. 5, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

(QM 5E M112 C. W. COLEMAN. SWITCH INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 0019,1909.

1,010,864. Patented Dec. 5,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Invenior:

O. W. COLEMAN;

SWITCH INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 00129, 1909.

1,010,864. Patented Dec.d,1911

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

172 We n 601".

W l masses.-

UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE W. COLEMAN, 0F \VESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR Ti) THE HALL SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPGRA'IIUN OI? HELENE.

SWITCH INSTRUMENT.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patentcd Bee. 5, 1911.

Application filed October S, 1909. Serial No. 52'l,$27.

- such control is eilected by the movement of a railway switch.

In block signaling systems for controlling railway trailic, in order to automatically apprise a train entering a block of the condition of the switches in the block, it is e's-.

sential that the opening of a switch should affect the signals at the entrance of the block. As a further element of safety or convenience, local signals may also indicate the condition of the switches. This control of signals entails the automatic control of a number of electric circuits, each independently of the others 'and in a manner required by each individual circuit. Moreover, railway switches are of various kinds and arc'varitmsly combined with signals and signal circuits. so that a large variety oi conditions of circuit control are met with in the many uses of a switch instrument.-

It is an ObJOCl; of my invention to proide a device tor thus automatically controlling a plurality of circuits by the movement of a switch, which may be adjusted to variously control the circuits as may be desired, so as to provide a switch instrumentof universal application. and which will open the back contacts and close the front contacts by a forced ll'lOVGll'lGllt, and will be extremely simple and easy to arrange, adjust and maintain.

Another object of my inventipn is to so tightly incase the contact makeand-break devices as to reduce to a minimum injury from moistm'e and deleterious gases, while at the same time permitting a tree entrance of the conducting wires to the casing.

Another object-is to provide novel means for positively adjusting each contact controlling member independently about its support and for clamping it, thereto.

Other objects and advantages of my in vention will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and shallthereatter point out my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my switch instrument with the cover broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the segment shaft. Fig. at is an enlarged detail, partly in section, of a contact-controlling segment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing my instrument connected to. a railway switch.

In the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, I show four sets of contacts and their respective controlling devices, though this number may be modified as desired. The parts are. incloscd in a casing 11, having two compartments, one of which contains the working parts and moving contacts, and the other the binding posts and provisions for getting the wires to them. A cover 12 for the casing 11 is hinged at the back as shown and closes both coinpartments, but it is made with a groove for receiving a rubber gasket 13 so as to tightly seal the inner compartment containing the working parts and thus prevent the parts from being harmed by moisture, dust, insects or injurious gases. For each set of cont-acts there are three binding posts, 14, 15 and 1G, and the electrical connections are carried through the stationary or immovable wall 17 between the two compartments by means of these binding posts, which pass through insulated bushings 18 and blocks 19, which hermetically seal the openings in the wall 17. Thus all the electrical contacts and their binding posts are congregated, greatly facilitating the attaching of the coin ducting wires. An operating rock-shaft 20 enters the inner compartment and is journaled in the walls with finished bearings having a close working fit, thus leaving the compartmentexceedingly tight. No wires have to be carried to the inner connpartment, and therefore it may be-tightly closed and the wires may yet freely enter and leave the outer compartment without affecting the. tightness of the inner compartment Each of the four sets of contacts shown in the drawings consists of a spring contact member or lever 21, having a plurality of large bracket attached to the middle bind ing post .15. In the construction shown in the drawings, the back stop 23 is normally closed and the front stop 2% open; in other words, the lower binding post is normally in electrical connection with the middle binding post, and not in such connection with the upper binding post.

To actuate the spring contact member 21 and break the'contact with the back stop 23 and make the contact with the front stop 24, I employ contact-controlling segments 30 mounted on the shaft 20, one for each set of contacts, and adapted in their rotation to engage a roller 31 journaled in lugs 32 on the spring contact member 21, and to press the spring contact over away from the back stop 23 and against the front stop 24. By this operation, the back contact of each spring is positively forced open and the frontcontact is positively forced closed and remains closed as long as the segment is on the roller. \Vhen the segment rotates off the roller, the resiliency of the spring contact member 21 returns the contacts to their original position shown in the drawings, opening the contact at thefront stop 24 and closing the contact at the back-stop 23. The contact-controllingsegments 30 have a roller tread 33 of suitable material on a' block of insulating material 34: and fastened by screws or bolts 35 which pass through insulating bushings 36. \htts 37 on the-ends of the screws rest in insulating washers 38, the spaces 39 about the nuts 37 being filled with sulfur or other suitable set-ting insulating materialf To open or close contact at as many points of the: movement as there are segments, each one of the segments is independently adjustable on the shaft 20. To so adjust the segments on the shaft and at ,the sametime toclamp them in position, I employ an adjusting'and clamping screwthreaded part or bolt 40' The arbor of the segment which fits over the shaft 20 is made in the form of a split clamp, and the adjusting and clamping bolt 40 passes through a clearance hole and is free to turn therein.

In the shaft 20 is a groove with worm teeth 41 cut in for each segment. To set a segment, it is slipped on the shaft to the'groove and the adjusting and clamping bolt 40 is turned until the head comes against the adjacent jaw of the segment arbor, and then two nuts are placed on thetlend of the bolt where it projects through the either jaw of the segment arbor and ldblted together close to this jaw. The segment then maybe ad- .dle binding posts, and on; the first sl ght justed by turning the bolt, so as tofeed the segme-ntabout the shaft to the desired position, then the bolt may be held to prevent it from turning and the nut nearer the segment jaw screwed up so as to clamp the segment tightly on the shaft, and the outer or jam nut screwed up to perform its locking function. Thus a solid joint is formed,-

.which makes'it im ossible for the segment to shift on the sha t, on account of the engagement of the teeth inthe shaft with the screw threads, the locking of the bolt and the clamping of the segment arbor on the shaft.

To rotate the shaft 20 with the movement of the switch, a crank 42 is rigidly secured .to-the end of the shaft 20, which projects from the casing, and a connecting rod 43 is attached. one end 'to the crank 42 by means of a jaw and pin, and the other end to the switch point by the same means, passing underneath the rail, as shown in Fig. 5. The switch operating rod 45 is shown. The other parts of the switch-operating means are not shown, since they are of well known construction. When the switch is moved to open it, it rotates the shaft 20 a part of a revolution, and when it is closed, the shaft is thereby rotated back to its original position. A hood i4 attached to the-side of the casing by hooks 49 projecting from the hood and screws 50, passing through the hood and entering the casing near the base. extends over the trunking and protects the wires entering the switch instrument. At the opposite side of the casinga covering plate 48 covers an opening like that at which the hood is located and is similarly held in position bv books 49 and screws 50, and may be interchanged with the hood so that the hood may be attached to either side. SQCUPJ ing lugs 25," in which screw holes are rovided,'serve as legsfor the casing, whi e a staple 26 and an eyebolt 27 and hasp 28 hold the cover 12 closed. A lock nut 29 on the eye-bolt locks the cover and the hasp 28 is hinged to the lock nut 25) and serves as a handle for the nut. A pad-lock may be used to prevent the hasp being taken off the staple without authority.

Through the rotation of the shaft 20 the contacts are opened and closed as above described. The normal position is shown in the drawings, with the switch closed .to the main line. If the circuit to be controlled is a shuntfor a track circuit, for example, the wires are connected to the lower and upper binding posts. and on the first slight movement of the opening of the switch point the spring is forced out and makes the front contact 24. If it be a line circuit to be con trolled, it will in most cases-be opened when- -the switch isopened and in that case the wires are connected to the-lower and mid- Wic ita movement of the switch to it, the back contact.23 is forced opera It may be neccssary to open or close a circuit on the completion of the movement of the, switch point,

and in that case the segment is set in the p \sition shown for the rear coma ontrolli segment far enough away om the roller to just force the spring over against the front contact at. at the vcr end of the movement of the switch, or the segment may beset on the roller so as to vl oil at the end of the movement of the so and allow the spring to close the back contact :23 in an adjustn'ient which will be obvious, or the segnncnts may be set to close or open the contacts during any part of the nuwcment oil? the segments, as desired. in this way, any number of contacts may be controlled in any manner and at any point oi time in the movement of the switch required by the needs of the signaling system.

it is obvious: that various modifications may be made in the construction shown and above particularly described within the pl'lllClplG, and scope of my invention.

1 claim:

1. an electric switch instrument comprising a rock shaft, an chaitrical contact device, a contact-controlling member cooperative therewith and secured upon the rocli shaft, and adjusting and clamping means cooperative with the shaft to positively angularly adjust the contact-muitrolling member about the shaft and to lock the member in adjusted position on'the shaft.

An electric switch instrument compris ing a rock shaft, a plurality of electrical contact devices, a plurality of contacbcontrolling members respectively cooperative therewith and each secured upon the rock shaft, and adjusting and clamping means for each contact-controlling member cooperalive with the shaft to positively angularlv adjust the contactwontrolling member about the shaft and to locl; the member in adjusted position on the shaft.

A railway switch instrument comprising a rock shaft, two electrical contacts, a contact lever cooperative with the two electrical contacts, a movable contact levcucontrolling member :arried by the rock shaft and cooperative with the contact level, an open top casing com n'ising two compartments separated by a wall, the rock shaft, the contact-lever-conirolling member, the

electrical contacts and the contact lever being located in one ofthe compartments, the two electrical contacts and the contact lever being carried by the wall, with binding posts secured. to and extending through the wall and adapted to have the conducting wires secured thereto in the other compartment;

and a cover for the casing covering both compartments and combined therewith so that it maybe opened for access to both ing a moi-able men for actuatir .the movable member, an clia'itrical 'conct;

compartments and" will form tight inclosure of the compartment first mentioned. An electric switch instrumentcompris on. scgu'icnt being independently angularlg ad- Ttl piaable on the shaft, an adiusting and) Clulllipilig st of which a rocl; shalt segment, and the screw to locl A railway w for each H he thread os the teeth on the dliastmcnt of the ain'ibinel'lwith on the shaft, uncut comprisand a contact lever in control'thereoh, a contact-lercr-operatmg member actuated by the movable member an open top c; sing for the parts comprising two compartmcnts sepa rated by a partii ion wall; the mov able meal-- her. the electrical contact, the contact lever and the contact-lcvcr-operating member beinglocated in one of the compartments and the movable member entering a-wall oi' such eonmartinent and the binding posts for electrical contact and the contactlever being secured to and extending through the partition wall and adapted to have the con-- ducting wires secured thereto in the other compartment; and a cover for the casing covering both compartments and combined therewith so that it may be opened for ac cess to both compartments and will form a tight inclosurc of the compartmentfirst li e I mentioned.

0. ii railwa switch instrument conugriring a movable llltfilllJOl, means for actuating the movable member, an elect al contact and a contact lever in control thereof, a contact-lever-operating member actuated by the movable member, an open top casing'for the parts comprising two compartments separated by a partition wall; the movable member, the electrical contact, the contact lever and the colitact-lever-operating member be ing located in one of the compartments and the movable member entering a wall of such compartment and the binding posts for the electrical contact and the contact lever being secured to and extending through the partition wall and adapted to have the con ducting wires secured thereto in the other compartment; and a single cover for the rasmg covering both compartments and hinged at one endof the casing so that it may be opened for access to both compartments and prising, a rock shaft, an electrical contact device, a contact-coi'itrolling member cooperative therewith and secured upon the rock shaft, the contact-controlling member having a split clamp embracing the rock shaft, the rock shaft having worm teeth thereon, a

threaded adjusting bolt passing loosely the through the split 'clampand engaging teeth on the rock shaft, and means clamping the bolt and the split clamp in justed position.

8. An electric switch instrument comprising, a rock shaft, an electrical contact le 5 rice, a segment cooperative with the Contact 1 device, the segment having a split clamp l embracing the rock shaft, the rock shaft 1 having worm teeth thereon, a threaded adjusting bolt passing loosely through the split clamp and engaging 'the teeth of the rock shaft, and means for clamping the bolt In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in 'presence of twoavitn'esses. v CLARENCE \V. COLEMAN. .lYitnesses:

Vlc'ron D. BORS'I, BERNARD COWENL 

